I'm running the simple-stepper.c program and have modifed it to set the current, accel, veloc and can control the motor...using the 1067 controller and a raspberryPi3.

Now. I am missing some understanding of the useage of the getchar() function as when I start modifying the code to go one direction for a set amount of steps and then to reverse the same amount of steps I can only perform this operation as shown below. If I am correct in my recall, as I've been messing with this code for hours...if I remove any of the 3 getchar() functions the routine does not function as desired. I'm working towards runnnig the stepper without user input. Tried creating while loops, delays, and not sure what i need to code as I don't understand the intimacies of C vs needed delay times between the function calls...or??

Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Brian

This is just part of code where steps1-4 were located to where the stepper is disengaged.

//keep displaying stepper event data until user input is read

printf("Press any key to continue as we are about to start\n"); getchar();